Protected
by VacantVapidStupidPerfect
Summary: Beth/Daryl. Grady happened, but Beth survived. Sort of. This is my first FANFICT ever, so I'm new, bear with me... Also yes, Beth just awoke from a coma... but this is fiction, I'm trying to get stuff factually correct. Things will get smutty. Lot's of Bethyl goodness. Updates will be coming when I'm happy with what I've written.. the first chapter took me 2 weeks.
1. Chapter 1

Beth and Daryl.

Chapter 1.

Taking place in Alexandria. Beth had survived Grady- barely, Daryl had carried her body out of the hospital. She'd spent 3 years in a coma whilst the group were settling in to the township.

Daryl burst in through his front door, slamming it shut behind him before taking the stairs two at a time to reach the spare bedrooms upstairs. He heard Maggie crying from inside the smallest, furthest from the staircase.  
'No, no, no'. Daryl thought to himself as he swung the bedroom door open to see Maggie holding her sisters pale hand. "Wha's happened?" He demanded as he jumped over her body, lying death like on the bed, grasping her hand as he sat beside her on the bed. Not even caring he was getting deer blood, mud and grime all over the duvet cover. "She ain't..." He looked at Maggie, pleading.  
"She's ok, Daryl. I just thought I'd heard her talking, so I come upstairs and she's still lying here, silent, small and not awake..." Maggie turned to Glen with a sob and her head rested on his chest.  
"I thought she'd died." Daryl stroked Beth's hand with his thumb.  
Maggie just shook her head, "I'm going back to work. C'mon Glen. You ok to stay now Daryl?"  
"Always." He kicked off his boots and laid down, arm going instinctively round her head.  
Daryl drifted off quickly, he'd been on night guard duty patrolling the walls around Alexandria, and he took a deep breath and then began dreaming about the time they'd spent together alone, for those weeks in the woods.

_"__Shit!" Beth murmured from behind a bush, where she'd gone to the toilet, several moments before. "Daryl, I need…." Her voice quietened off, eventually stopping completely.  
Daryl sighed and made his way round the bush, still protected by their string and can barrier. He stopped dead when she was stood there, naked from the waist down. "Hum, Beth? I don't know wha' you doin', but naked don't cut it when there are walkers roaming about." He smiled when she flushed.  
"I need tampons and new jeans." She turned her head away, protecting her modesty with the ruined jeans.  
"Wha'?" Daryl started backing off, turning slightly so he wasn't looking at her directly. Of course they'd seen each other naked. It was a post-apocalyptic world. When they had to bathe in rivers or ponds and everyone had minimal clothes you were bound to see flesh once in a while. It hardly bothered him anymore, except where she was concerned, before his feelings had developed. Now, he tried to act like he was immune. Of course he wasn't. He was a man, after all.  
"Daryl, either get me my pack, or chuck me my stuff. I'm on my period." Beth had grabbed the bag he'd flung at her. "Thank you. Jeeze, y'all act like this ain't natural. Daryl Dixon, you're travelling with a woman."  
Didn't Daryl know it? In the past few years he'd seen her body change, her attitude change and her willingness to survive change. He was falling in love with Beth Greene, all woman of her. Not that he'd say anything, of course.  
Beth came back round to the fire a few minutes later, having cleaned up and binned her jeans. "You didn't tell me I was bleedin', that coulda' been dangerous Daryl." She sat down next to him, snuggled under his armpit, head on his shoulder.  
"I dint realise. Why were you embarrassed when you were naked?" Daryl kissed the top of her blonde wavy hair as she entwined her fingers with his.  
"I had blood all over me. It ain't attractive."  
He snorted, nothing about this entire fucking situation was attractive. What was a bit more blood?_

Daryl felt Beth's hand grasp his. He awoke, looking at her pale face, pastel pink lips pouted in her comatose state. Her light blonde hair fanned around her head, she looked like a ghost, especially when the duvet was white as well. He traced her cheek with his thumb, across her eyelid, down her nose and then around her lips. Twice. He felt her breath tickle his palm, he felt her breathe. A deep breath, an inhale, in which he swore he heard his name. "Daryl." It was quick, and he nearly jumped from the bed in shock.  
"Beth?" Daryl was bent over her when her eyelids fluttered. "Shit! Beth?!" He shook her shoulders, and her eyes opened for about 3 seconds before closing again.  
Daryl bounded for the open window, looking up and down the perfectly maintained streets of Alexandria looking for any of his family. He spotted Rick and Carl walking up the street. "Rick!" He bellowed into the quiet. "She's wakin', she's fuckin' wakin up." Daryl turned from the window and gripped her hand once again.  
Rick and Carl came bounding into the bedroom at nearly the same time Beth sat bolt upright in bed and opened her mouth in a terrifying silent scream.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N; I finished this chapter in about 2 seconds. I'm trying to find a way to convey Beth and what she's been through without her being typical old 'Beth' and being able to speak etc... Anyway, I hope you guys like the 2nd instalment. 3rd will be on it's way soon. Review away guys, :) **

Chapter 2.

An hour had passed and nobody could calm Beth down, except for him. She wouldn't let go of him. She couldn't let go of him. He smelled familiar- of cigarettes, fire and the forest. She had her head buried in his chest, breathing him in. He continued to stroke her hair and shh her like a baby. Beth whimpered, panicking. Her arms wrapped tighter around his waist, she was between his legs. Couldn't get closer to him. She tried. He ended up sitting with his back against the headboard, Beth cradled in his lap. Her hair pushed to one side.  
Maggie came in, attempted to crawl closer to her sister, over the bed, but Beth stiffened at her touch. All of Beth's old family tried to open the chasm that had been created at Grady but she was unresponsive, except towards Daryl. She clung onto his flannel shirt, her knuckles white from holding on too tightly. Beth wouldn't look at anybody, she had her eyes closed tight.  
Towards early evening, when everyone had just been stood, staring for close to 2 hours from the door frame, Daryl had had enough. "Righ', guys, she needs rest. She can sleep tonight, and y'all can talk to her in the mornin'." Beth nodded, very subtly against his strong chest. "She needs quiet and crowding her like this might kill 'er."  
Daryl nodded at everyone, raising his eyebrows to Glenn, to take Maggie away. Then Rick followed suit and ushered the rest of the family out the door.  
Rick turned just before he left. "I'm right next door brother, if you need me."  
Daryl nodded thanks, and both he and Beth relaxed visibly when they'd all gone.  
"C'mon Blondie," Beth pulled back, eyes wide, questioning him. "Ya havin' a bath." He smiled, and scooped her up.

He carried her into the bathroom, shutting the door behind them, turning on the tap and putting the plug in, never letting go of her. "Beth, I need t' take these off ok?" He nodded towards her t-shirt, which was actually his. The black contrasted against her skin beautifully, making her so pale, almost translucent. She dipped her head, wavy hair falling in front of her face. He sat her on the edge of the bath, felt her shiver. He lifted the hem of the shirt, pulled up and her arms followed suit. She was naked completely underneath, save for some pants, that were black, cotton. He pulled her up, slowly and she placed her hands onto his chest as he used his thumbs to take the underwear down. Beth stepped out of them, hardening her grip on his chest.  
Daryl took in her body as she sat back down. Her hip bones jutted out scarily, like they could cut him if he touched them. Her ribs showed through, her collarbones looked alarmingly fragile. She looked emaciated. Her skin was tight across her breast bone, her tiny breasts didn't move with her breaths. She'd been on IV drips since he'd carried her out of Grady, food, fluids and medicine had been pumped into her 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. But he hadn't noticed how small and fragile she'd become. He ached for her. She looked skeletal. He raised his eyebrows at her before putting his arms under her legs and behind her neck, lifting her into the bubbling water. She hissed through her teeth as the water scalded her, relaxing notably when she adjusted.  
Daryl got a jug, and filled it with the soapy water before tipping her chin back with his finger, closed her eyes with his finger before letting the water pour onto her hair. He did it twice more before he felt like her hair was wet enough to wash. Daryl squeezed some shampoo onto his hands. He rubbed her head, and she arched into his rough hands, as though it was pleasant. He smiled. Continued washing her hair, rinsing it before applying conditioner. He couldn't believe the amount of blood in the water- after carrying her out of Grady, Maggie and he'd attempted to wash the bullet fragments, skull pieces and blood out of her hair, but obviously hadn't gotten it all.  
Daryl squirted some scented shower gel onto a flannel, before offering it to Beth. She shook her hair and moved towards him, giving him permission. He started with her back, wiping it down, noticing her vertebrae sticking up all the way down to her back. He cleaned over her shoulders, under her arms, hands, across her chest and stomach. He moved to her long legs, re soaped the flannel and then said "Beth, I need t' clean between…" He gestured, towards the gap between her thighs. She just opened her legs and closed her eyes. He sighed. He cleaned her quickly. Getting another flannel and a different type of soap he washed her face. Making sure to be gentle around the bullet wound under her chin and the second on her forehead. Daryl seethed, seeing the pink scars, knowing Beth would hate them. When he looked back at her she was staring at him. Blue eyes the colour of summer sky. She was undoubtedly the most beautiful creature he'd ever seen. He smiled, and she sort of smiled back, it was fleeting and it was only the corners of her mouth that turned up but it was progress. Once Daryl had rinsed the conditioner out, he wrapped her in the biggest fluffiest towel in the house and carried her once again, to bed. But to his this time. She'd been staying in his guest room, as it was smaller, easier to protect. But he wasn't leaving her side this time. Daryl deposited her onto his bed. He dried her all over, including her hair, but left it still partially damp as he weren't a woman and he figured it was enough. He pulled another t-shirt over her head before laying her down and pulling the covers over her. He lay next to her and she fell asleep almost instantly.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N; Apologies for this chapter being so short, but I'm trying to get into a headspace for more Bethyl, this is more like a filler chapter. But it's kind of important to the story. Hope you like it everybody. :) Please review and rate. Chapter 4 will be along shortly, it's already written, just needs editing. **

Chapter 3.

Daryl awoke when he felt Beth tense, about 6 hours later. He pulled her closer to him, wrapping his arms around her. "S'ok, Blondie, I'm right here." He could feel her crying, the heart wrenching sobs that racked through her body. She wasn't making any noise except for the gasps of breath and the sniffles. Tears poured down her face, pooling on the pillow. He sat her up and pulled her into his arms, onto his lap. He didn't know how to help her. He didn't know what damage the bullet had done when it had been fired. He didn't know if she was in agony, if she was impaired, if she could talk or walk. Daryl soothed Beth until the crying subsided. He stroked her face, down her temple repeatedly until he felt her relax, when sleep took hold. He felt broken, like a man who was incapable of taking care of that one thing. He sighed as he laid her back down on the bed, resolving to go get help. He had to admit to himself that he couldn't provide everything that she needed- though he'd do a damn good job trying.

An hour later Rick and Alexandria's doctor walked through his front door. Nodded at him before continuing upstairs. Daryl stood aside but still gripped Beth's hand as the doctor examined Beth. She kept her eyes tightly closed and her grip on Daryl's hand was like a vice throughout the entire check-up. Daryl growled once or twice at the doctor when he could sense that Beth was in pain. The doctor ignored him and continued with his exam. After about 90 minutes with Beth hooked up to various machines and lots of poking and prodding, the Doctor nodded at Daryl and Rick to follow him outside.

"She's emaciated to start with. So we need to encourage diet and fluid intake, monitor it. " The doctor was flipping through his notes. Reading them as if he was on autopilot. Daryl just nodded. He knew this. "She's also got some muscle wastage. Obviously she hasn't moved in 3 years, so she might not be able to walk." Daryl grimaced and looked to Rick, if she couldn't walk how was she going to fight? Run? Rick just shook his head and nodded at the doctor to continue.  
The doctor paused before giving them a small smile, "Her brain function actually appears to be pretty good." Daryl's head whipped round to view Beth in bed, eyebrows raised in surprise. The doctor carried on. "She has got some brain damage to the Right Hemisphere. I couldn't tell you how much as of yet, but she may have issues with memory, insight, perception." Daryl teared up, shook the tears away and grunted. "She has managed to grip, and doesn't seem to have a problem with her non-verbal communication. She might speak, you just need to keep talking to her, asking her questions."  
Daryl's shoulders had slumped. "Wha' about her memory."  
The doctor shook his head. "I don't know. There's some injury to her right side of her brain, which can affect her memory. But only time will tell." Daryl nodded. Worry etched on his face. "Also, she's depressed, obviously," Daryl grunted. "Has she had an issue with depression before?"  
Rick opened his mouth, "Yeah, she suffered with self-harm. And depression, especially when we were on the farm. She was about 16 or 17 years old."  
"I noticed the scars on her wrists." The doctor made a note on his chart, "I'll prescribe some anti-depressants, and you can pick them up in a few days once a runs been done and we've got more supplies." The doctor turned around and started down the stairs. "I'll be around the hospital until late tonight if you need me."  
Rick punched Daryl's arm, "If you need me, I'll be in my office brother." Daryl patted his shoulder and grunted thanks.  
He made his way into the bedroom, light was shining through the window, and she looked ethereal. Stunning. Beautiful. Her hair was fanned out on the pillow, her mouth was open slightly, breathing deeply. The light hit her skin, she was flawless. He swallowed, his throat working overtime. He couldn't lose her again, he was going to work his ass off to make sure she was ok.

Beth's eyes flew open as the bed dipped under Daryl's weight. He took her small hand, rubbed his calloused thumb over it so she stopped trembling.  
"I'm gonna help ya Blondie. I'm gonna do ma best and we'll get through it. OK?" He leant down and kissed her forehead. She just sighed and nodded.  
Daryl laid down, bringing Beth into his arms, she cuddled into him, clenching and unclenching her fist around his shirt. She buried her nose into his underarm, inhaling his scent. He felt himself watching her. Watching her eyes flutter under her lids, watching her mouth pout, move around unspoken words. He loved her. He would always love her. He wouldn't lose her again.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N; So I breezed through this chapter so quickly, trying to set the scene for lot's of Bethyl goodness. It's progressing nicely though. Hope you guys are enjoying the story so far. I'm actually really enjoying this FanFict so far. Rate/review please guys. Chapter 5 will be a couple of days. **

Chapter 4

It had been 2 months since Beth had woken up. Those two months had been hard. They'd been intense and stressful and Daryl had had a permanent worry line etched into his forehead. But Beth was walking. Like a new born colt, she was wobbly, unsure and fell down a lot, but she was walking. Currently she had her tongue between her lips, eyes were screwed in concentration as she struggled to hold her knife and walk at the same time. Progress had been slow to start, but Beth was getting it, everyday improving so much. Daryl was incredibly proud. He grunted at her, like a walker, giving her the nod to proceed towards him. She stumbled and he reached out to catch her, but she glared and he moved his arms back. Daryl approached her, dragging his feet slightly, arms stuck to his sides. He got within reaching distance, she raised the knife but stopped moving her legs.  
"Beth, you gotta come towards me." He stopped walking.  
She glared and bit her lip. Repositioning the knife, she forced one foot in front of the other, and raised her arm. She bought the knife down towards Daryl's head, tapping him slightly above the temple, indicating that she'd stabbed him. With that last exert of energy she fell into his chest. He caught her, a whooshing sound escaping from her mouth. Beads of sweat rolled down her forehead, from her hairline, down her shirt. She was soaked with perspiration. But she'd managed to walk and act out a killing, for the first time.  
"Well don' blondie!" He grinned at her and she smiled back. One side of her mouth didn't come all the way up, a result of the shooting but she smiled nonetheless.

"C'mon, let's take a break." He lifted her into his arms and sat on the porch of his house. She wriggled out of his hold and positioned herself to sit right next to him. Her legs were still touching him, and her arm was still draped over his stomach.  
"Ya ok?" He put his arm around her, squeezing her shoulders, to show how much she'd impressed him.  
She nodded. Playing with the knife in her fingers.  
Daryl passed her a drink, with a straw and she took a sip, grimacing when she realised he hadn't put any sugar into the lemonade. He said oops and made it too taste, she took another sip and smiled at him, resting her head on his shoulder.  
As much as her progress with the physical side of things had impressed him, he was still worried about her speech. She hadn't uttered a word since she'd woken up. He was unsure whether she couldn't or wouldn't speak. Daryl sighed and she looked up at him questioning the sound.  
"I miss ya voice, Blondie." He kissed her forehead and looked down at her, rubbing a speck of dirt off of her nose. "I actually miss ya singin'." He chuckled.  
Beth grabbed his face, turned him to look directly at her. Her eyes conveyed so much. He studied her face, her lips, her eyes, he understood. "I hear ya, ya tryin'." She nodded again and moved closer. He pulled back slightly, eyebrows drawn up in confusion. "Wha' ya doin'?" She just pulled his face closer and kissed him, on the corner of the mouth. Once. His emotions exploded. His wanting exploded. She exhaled and blew her sweet breath all over his face, Daryl jumped up, shaking his head. "Damn, woman. Ya gonna be the death of me!" He stormed into the house. Beth followed his movements with confused eyes as he came storming back out of the house, cross bow slung over his shoulder and stormed off up the street, towards the main gates, and away from her.

Daryl reached the main gate in about 5 minutes, huffing and puffing as he climbed up onto the top of the lookout, telling the first watcher to go home. He could handle this for now. The watcher agreed and took off without as much as a backwards glance. Daryl lined up his crossbow, eyeing a walker ambling towards him, he fired and feeling slightly disappointed when it went straight down, sat heavily into the plastic chair with a sigh. That kiss. That kiss meant everything to him, and she was just saying thank you. She had kissed his cheek. Not his mouth, or his chest or his dick. His cheek. And he'd imploded, like a teenage boy touching a pair of tits for the first time. He had to be more careful. Maybe stop sleeping in the same bed? He shook his head. They both sought the comfort and warmth of someone else. He knew that neither of them could sleep at all without the other. He closed his eyes. He didn't know what else to do. He doubted she wanted him the same way that he wanted her. He had always wanted her. She just saw him as a friend, a confidant, a protector. He leaned back in the chair, closing his eyes after taking out another walker. His mind drifted, back to that last night in the funeral home.

_Daryl was fiddling with his crossbow on the kitchen table. The funeral parlour had been home for nearly a week, and they both really liked it here. He eyed her as she walked through the door. "Anythin'?" He asked as she sat down with a sigh.  
"Not a peep. Think we'll be right, s'long as we're upstairs tonight." He just nodded. They always slept upstairs anyway. Always together. Always behind a barricaded door in the study. On a sofa bed.  
"Daryl, can I ask you somethin'?" He inclined his head, but continued working. Keeping an ear out on the front door.  
She took a deep breath before continuing. "Y'no, I'm a virgin right?"  
Daryl stopped what he was doing. Eyebrows were drawn together. "…None of my damn business..." He stuttered. He didn't want to say he'd figured as much. Not much of a sex life during the zombie breakout- unless you were Maggie and Glenn!  
She shrugged before continuing. "I want to have sex." Daryl just rubbed the back of his neck. "With you." He blew air through his lips, so it fluttered his fringe.  
"Blondie, I don' think tha's tha best idea. We're friends…" He looked away.  
"No, we ain't." Beth grabbed his hand and he'd stiffened. But he didn't remove his hand, she noticed. "Daryl, we are… I don't know what we are. But friends ain't gonna cover it. I want you. You want me."  
Daryl shook his head and laughed. "You gotta mighty fine opinion of ya 'self, woman." He still hadn't moved his hand.  
"You get a tent in your pants, ever' time I look at you, or take my clothes off. Or touch you on accident." She grinned, and as if to prove a point, she gestured towards his crotch. Where his jeans had become unbelievably uncomfortable.  
"You want this as much as I do, so Wha's the problem?"  
"I can't. I'm wrong for you. You're 18 righ?" She nodded. "Well I'm thirty fucking seven." He kicked the chair out of the way, and stood, the chair crashing to the floor. "I'm a dirty old redneck, who hunts, and has scars, and is fucked up way more than you can imagine." He took a step back, hit the kitchen counter as she stepped towards him. He braced himself, grip tightening on the sideboard. It felt cool, but at this minute, he was so hot that anything would be cool. "Beth, I ain't gonna touch ya. Ya an innocent. I've had my fair share o' hook-ups, and fucks and one night stands." Beth flinched at his words. "I don't 'make love'" He air quoted it, with an angry look on his face. "I fuck. Hard. And then I tell whichever woman it is to fuck off in the morning." Beth continued to walk towards him.  
"Daryl Dixon…" He looked up at her. "Are ya scared?" She grinned as she got close enough. She reached out to touch his chest.  
Daryl exhaled and put his hands on her shoulders to push her away. "Beth, I…" He shook his head. "Ok!" He threw up his hands before replacing them, but on her hips. His fingers burning her flesh, she groaned. "I want you too, but this ain't the… it ain't the time". She moved closer, wrapped her arms around his neck.  
"Daryl, I need you." She whispered in his ear. Inhaling she could almost taste him. The leather jacket, the cigarettes, the forest. She almost lost her mind, then and there. She stood on tip toes to reach his ear. "Who knows how long we got left?" She kissed just under his ear. He groaned and shifted his hips, so they lined with hers. She kissed his cheek. He shifted again, pressing his body in to hers. Feeling his length. She kissed the corner of his mouth. His hands touched her ass, and the feeling in her stomach tightened. She was seconds from his soft lips, she leaned in… That was when the walkers had attacked and he'd told her to run. To escape through the window. When she'd been kidnapped by the Grady lunatics. When she'd been shot… _

Daryl heard movement behind him, and shifted to look, pulling his mouth up into a grin quickly before it slipped right of his face. Rick noticed, slapped his brother on the shoulder and asked how Beth was.  
"She's better." Daryl took aim at a walker, fired and got a thump on the back from Rick when it went down. "She's back at tha house."  
Rick raised his eye brows at him. "I just saw her, she's crying." Daryl spun quickly too look at him.  
"Wha?" He jumped out his seat. "Why?"  
"She didn't tell me, obviously. But she signed something…" Rick flashed a grin at Daryl as he grimaced. "You took off running coz she kissed ya man?" Rick chuckled.  
"Tha ain't the reason why…" Daryl ran his hands through his hair, tension noted in his taut arms, back and shoulders. Rick gestured for him to continue. "I… don' know if she 'members… From when we were in tha woods."  
"That you slept together?" Rick asked, somewhat curiously but didn't want to push it.  
"Wha?" Daryl rounded on Rick, pushed him in the shoulders so Rick stumbled. "I never touched her like tha' man." Daryl shook his head, slumped onto the gate roof. "We nearly… once. But then we were separated, and it neva' happened." Daryl put his head in his hands. "I've wanted too… for so long. But I don't know how much she remembers. I don't know if she's too broken."  
Rick knelt down next to Daryl, gripping his shoulders. "Brother, you need to talk to Beth about this. Not me." Daryl nodded. He sighed and nodded again as he stood up.  
"I'll go now." Daryl loaded his crossbow and shot at another walker. He hit in square in the head and grunted. "I need ta know, one way or the other righ'?" Rick nodded as Daryl took to the ladder, jumping the last few rungs. He took a pack of cigarettes out of the inside of his leather vest, lighting up and inhaling deeply before continuing down the road, back to his house. Back to Beth. Back to answers he'd needed for such a long time.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N; Hey guys, really sorry I haven't posted in forever. Been super poorly and haven't felt the urge to write. This chapter has hard to do but I felt like it needed to be written just as an important milestone. Hoping to get chapter 6 up at some point... Hope you enjoy.. bit more darker than usual. Reviews/follows/faves more than welcome. :) J. x** Chapter 5 Daryl made his way through the front door. Pausing to take note if she was downstairs. He could smell her. Sunshine and flowers. All Beth, all around his house. Except something was wrong. He could smell it, taste it, and feel it. The house was too quiet. It was dank, dark, a metallic smell was permeating from somewhere. He started breathing heavily. He stalked to the stairs, whispering her name. Trying to hear out for any sound, any little bit of information to let him know she was alive. He followed the stairs towards the second floor, eyes scanning, hunting, and adjusting to the dark. The copper smell was stronger up here. He immediately knew she was in the bathroom, the door was the only one shut. He gently pushed on the wood, feeling resistance. He knew she was slumped behind it. He put more force into the second push against the door, he heard something thump, knew it was her head against the bath. As he forced himself through the gap and put his foot down on the tiled floor, Daryl slipped in the blood, streaming out of her wrists.  
"Beth." He lifted her body as if it weighed nothing. His head touched her forehead and his tears dropped onto her face. "Woman if you fuckin' die on me, I ain't gonna be happy. I only jus' gotcha back." He carried her too their bed, and with one hand on his walkie talkie he radioed the Doctor. The doctor had stitched and bandaged Beth's destroyed wrists. Daryl had held her as he'd sewn her heart and soul back into her body. He felt ravaged, he'd done this too her. If he hadn't run away like some pussy and instead, faced her like a man, she wouldn't have hurt herself like this. He kissed her bandages as the doctor finished making Beth swallow the anti-depressants. He wouldn't leave her alone again. He swore it too himself. Daryl thanked the Doctor before stripping Beth down to her bra and knickers, he then lay her down under the duvet and walked round to the other side of the bed. He slid in next to her with a sigh, making sure he didn't jostle her awake. He slid his arms around her slight, cold body, determined to warm her up and protect her. He listened to her steady breathing for hours, the deeper into sleep she fell, the deeper her breaths got. At one point Beth had rolled in her sleep and they faced each other, her breaths ruffling his hair as she breathed out. He just watched her and slowly drifted off into his own unconsciousness. He awoke to Beth's bright blue eyes piercing his soul. She mouthed "Sorry" at him before kissing his cheek. He didn't run this time. He just nodded.  
"Beth, Why?" His voice caught in his throat. He swallowed, "why the fuck would ya do tha'? To yaself? To me?" He wiped a tear away that had escaped from his eyes. "Ya know that woulda killed me. If I hadn't come back in time!" His voice had got louder, harsher, angrier. She flinched. He grimaced and shook his head. "Nah, I'm sorry. Ma fault." He took her face in his hands and kissed her forehead, before she buried her face into his chest. She was crying, wiping snot onto his bare chest and he didn't care. Her entire body heaved up and down racked with sobs. He could tell, emotionally she was fucked. She was broken and he wasn't doing a very good job in patching her up.  
Beth pulled back from his chest, eyes brimming with tears and she nodded. Pointed at his mouth and her ears respectively. She was ready to listen. So he told her. He told her everything. When they first met, the farm, the prison, the woods after the prison fell and then the funeral home. Her eyes had grown wider and wider, her face flushed and with the occasional nod or grunt. He continued. His voice almost bored him to death, God knows what it was doing to her, but even so he spoke, more than he had ever spoken in his life. Beth put her hand over his heart when he was speaking about Grady and Dawn and then carrying her lifeless body out of the hospital. They cried together, she crawled into his lap and they cried together, for everything they'd lost and possibly everything they'd gained.  
Beth stayed curled up in Daryl's lap for hours. Nearly 4. He had leaned back against the headboard and wrapped the duvet around them at some point. He didn't speak, he just held her. She had listened, he had spoken and she had listened to everything. She had seen his emotions in his eyes, his deep blue eyes, as expressive as her own. Daryl had told her everything that had happened, he'd drowned in emotion and she had just listened, she had placed her hand over his heart, like a life raft in the ocean. He had been taught as a young boy never to show emotion, to never show weakness and to never open up. His father had beaten it into him, his mother had drunk herself into oblivion to avoid feelings and Merle? Merle had run off as soon as possible. Daryl wanted to let Beth know that he felt… what did he feel? He felt something, he felt like he couldn't breathe without her. He felt like she was his oxygen, she was his addiction and he needed to be constantly at her side to protect her. Daryl had never felt this way before. He wanted to tell her. He opened his mouth several times, to try and speak, words attempted to tumble out of his mouth but nothing would come. Daryl just stroked her cheek with his thumb. Something would happen at some point. He'd tell her sooner or later. He would. Before long.


End file.
